Do you believe in the "Combat Arms Mentality"?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 22:07:52 -0400

Well, I have seen it all. A support MSG placed a joe at parade rest while he was on crutches for complete non-sense. I was evac'd from the field for injuries and have been placed in white cell. My Soldiers are still out there, wet, cold, living in the dirt, stopped up from MREs, while these support personnel complain about me waking them up to clean the barracks. Thoughts?

Response by SN Greg Wright made Apr 22 at 2016 11:38 PM

SN Greg Wright — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 23:38:40 -0400

Thoughts? Here's my thought: everything you are, everything you do, everything you accomplish is because of your support personnel brethren. Unless you think your bullets, your food, your needs just magically appear because you're a combat-arms badass?

Here's my thought: You're nothing. NOTHING. Without your support personnel. You cannot do your mission without them. So how about you give them a little respect?

Response by 1stSgt Eugene Harless made Apr 23 at 2016 4:16 AM

1stSgt Eugene Harless — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 04:16:10 -0400

What people refer to as "such and such mentality" is a broad brush. I simply calling it being an asshole. There are Combat Arms types who are total dicks to the people that keep them in the field. There are support types who act like they are doing you a favor by doing thier jobs. There are former DIs who never lose their DI mentality.
Some people are simply assholes no matter what their job is.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Apr 23 at 2016 4:52 AM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 04:52:30 -0400

Yes!

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2016 6:51 AM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 06:51:49 -0400

In reading the responses here I think it is fair to say that neither is correct, nor is either wrong.

Both groups do their jobs as the jobs have been assigned.

Should one be proud that he has seen combat? Of course. Should one be put down because he has not? Of course not.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Apr 23 at 2016 7:05 AM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 07:05:28 -0400

Mentality, Attitude, Mindset, Bias....

As 1stSgt Eugene Harless says it is a VERY broad brush. If someone is an Ass, it's it's because they are an Ass, not because they are CA/CS/CSS.

However, it will become a "Us v Them" issue very quickly because there are Cultural Differences that must be overcome with dealing with them. What you see as "complete non-sense" may have different cultural values on their side of the fence. It's essentially a Foreign Country, and you don't know the rules, which means when someone messes up it's very hard to make a value judgement on it.

The Values are "different" (not better or worse, just different), the Priorities are "different" because the Mission is "different." Remember their Mission is Admin/Log/Comm or whatever, and although CA may seem like the "premier" mission, it is often a distraction to their primary task.

Response by CPL Timothy Lane made Apr 23 at 2016 9:06 AM

CPL Timothy Lane — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 09:06:17 -0400

Versus freaking out and running for cover. I have heard many stories of female soldiers running for or staying in vehicle when things go ape

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2016 7:22 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 19:22:48 -0400

Yes, there is a big difference in mentality. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though it frequently is. I don't plan on going back to a noncombat arms company ever if I can help it.

Response by SPC Casey Ashfield made Jul 26 at 2017 7:49 PM

SPC Casey Ashfield — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 19:49:32 -0400

There is certainly a difference in mentality among the jobs. In my experience, combat arms seem to attract the folks who are already pompous assholes. Give them a weapon and some combat training they either become mellow or a bigger asshole.

On the other hand, combat MOS are instructed from day one that they are different from other jobs in the military. I was told that getting the right size on my winter PT or Class A uniforms wasn't important, because I would be "dead before I would be able to wear them." That kind of conditioning gives you a little chip on your shoulder.